I wonder if anybody can post their favorite progression for sharpening a knife that should cut tomatoes.

I just sharpened a carbon knife (white #2 steel) up to the 10K Choseras and then stropped it with diamond sprays up to 0.25 micron. The knife is wickedly sharp and cuts everything very well... except for tomatoes. Well, it cuts tomatoes quite well, but not as good as I'd like it to do.

Ideally, I'd like my knife as sharp as in the first video here. (Yes, I've asked the maker already .)

How would you sharpen a knife that should cut nearly push-cut tomatoes like that?

15k shaptons, you need a little tooth.

What results are you getting now? Reason I ask is because, unless I'm missing something in the video, I don't see any push cutting,,,all the cuts look like they're a slice.

Correct, it's not push cutting in the video. But I need to add more pressure and slice more fiercely. I can only cut a tomato if I hold it by hand. I am unable to cut it by just putting it on a board.

Cool. You said "nearly push cut" earlier,,, so it threw me.

Have you considered that your knife is sharp enough, but that it's more of a technique thing? There's also other variables... tomato type, board, etc. From what I've read, I think you know "sharp", so I'm just wondering if it's something else?

Yes, wrote *nearly* push cut . That's what it looks like to me. And that's what I'm aiming for.

Obviously, the first reaction would be that my knife is not sharp enough. But it is very sharp: I can easily shave my face with it. But it doesn't cut tomato skin without some force.

My first guess was that the knife needs to be slightly toothy. I wondered whether other people think the same or could there be another cause? (Thanks, Steven!) And if it needs some tooth, how much, i.e. what grit is the optimum?

Well to me it's a slice.

My .02, I don't think there's an optimum, just something to break the skin. I've gone from a coarse SiC stone to 12K waterstones. I'd eliminate the stropping, and go from there.

Now, if you want to see a push cut (no it's not me)...

StevenPinson wrote:


Thanks, Steven. I got exactly the same advice from someone else as well. Is this your own experience or some sort of "common knowledge"?

cbwx34 wrote:


Oh snap! Now that's an edge (and a skill set) I'm lusting after!

Tomatoes are my bane as well. Thanks for the inspiration!

Ken

KenBuzbee wrote:


That guy does have some of the best cutting videos I've seen.

mark76 wrote:


I won't dwell on it, but I think it's specious reasoning to tie results to one particular stone.